1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to support devices, and more particularly to a support device adapted to support a portable electronic device, such as a tablet computer device.
2. Description of Related Art
There are various bases and charging units in the prior art for supporting various types of portable electronic devices (e.g., tablet PCs, MP3 Players, e-readers such as KINDLE®, and various APPLE® products, including iPAD® and iTOUCH® devices, etc.). Most of these devices mount the device in an upright orientation, and are primarily adapted for storage and/or charging the device while it is not in use.
A product sold under the trademark BOOKARC™ by TwelveSouth includes a slot having a silicone insert that supports a iPAD® in a vertical position. The slot includes a notch that enables the iPAD® to be tilted to a second, slightly reclined position for watching videos. The silicone insert may be removed to receive the iPAD® when it is wrapped in a protective case. The BOOKARC™ product does not enable much flexibility, however, and only holds the iPAD® in a single working (angled) position (plus the stored, vertical position). The BOOKARC® also cannot accept the iPAD® with the case, unless the silicone insert is first removed. Once removed, the silicone insert is easily lost, in which case the product cannot work on an iPAD® without the case.
The prior art teaches various base supports and/or charging stations for various forms of personal electronic devices. However, the prior art does not teach a support device for supporting a tablet computer device in multiple reclined positions, thereby enabling the user to select a degree of incline that is best suited for his or her use. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.